are all SOG folders like this?

S

silverwolf5

Joined
Jan 2, 2012
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Hey, this is my first time posting, but I thought I'd share how I feel about this knife I just bought. have been fascinated with and collecting knives for a while. I purchased a SOG seal pup elite and was happy with it. I thought I would try one of sogs' folders, so I decided to buy the trident after reviewing many different ones. This knife looks great, but It feels like it can't perform, it feels cheap and weak. I have a couple 10-30 dollar knives that are more sturdy than tmy new sog. The blade has play back and forth and side to side. Its really disappointing because I had my hopes up for a good quality knife. Guess I will have to go to cold steel's recon folder. Not bashing SOG, but are all their folder made this "weak"? Even after opening and closing the knife a few times, it feels crunchy and grinds when opening. Disappointing. Anyone tried any of sogs other folders?
 
SOG has a bad reputation with their folders.....most often bladeplay. What you're experiencing is "normal" with their folding knives.
 
I always get the feeling that "This would be a nice knife if SOG didn't make it." feel from their knives.

I own a Flash 1 and while the materials are top notch, the construction and build quality is very cheap. AUS8 isn't anything to toss in the trash, and a lot of their blades use decent steel... I just wish they weren't the ones putting them on the handles.
 
My only experience with SOG has been the Twitch II, which has mega play in both directions. I prefer my Skyline :D
 
I've had the same experience with all the SOG folders that I've handled. I do like several of their fixed blades though.
 
I disagree. I think coming from the Cold Steel Recon folder you were using before this knife may feel "cheap." But for its intended purposes its fine. With every SOG I have owned a properly adjusted pivot pin will eliminate any blade play. I can certainly see how someone may think SOG folding knives are cheap, but they are constructed to be light weight EDC knives IMO.
 
i own two sog folders and my take on it after getting my two, and playing with a bunch in a box store is........ yep pretty much what you said.

they are not all that great and pricey for what you get. just my opinion, though, not based on any scientific survey or study.

your trident sounds just like my trident. i got it on a walmart special. it was the best one of the bunch i played with. still it has allot of blade play(side to side) and i have to constantly tighten the pivot as it still loosens up after allot of openings. i haven't tried locktite yet, and i might when i feel less lazy and motivated to try to fix it. i was under impressed with the quality of it other than being lightweight and it came sharpened nicely, with nice even bevels, which many knives i have bought do not regardless of production brand.

the other folder is a xl twitch. this one has allot of blade play side to side and can't be fixed by tightening the pivot. it's locking setup feels a tad more sturdy than the trident, but not much. it also had nice even bevels and it was the only thing i can say about it that i like.

their fixed knives i've had better luck with. i like my seal pup elite and seal elite, as well. as usual ymmv....
 
I used to own several SOG folders back in the late 90's and early 00's, but I was so put off by their assisted openers (Flash, Trident, etc..) that I've pretty much ignored the brand ever since. I do like the looks of a couple of their Arc-Lock models, but I will never buy one of their assisted openers.
 
Well I guess its good to see other peoples' opinions are the same as mine on this knife. I was going to try one of SOGS other folders but I think after owning this one and seeing other peoples' opinions, I will spend the money on a better built folder. The trident,like mosy of SOGS folders, is lightweight and tactical, but iit feels weak. I do like their fixed blade knives though. Where is the trident made? Usa? Mine doesn't say
 
I don't have any issues with SOG's fixed blades at all, but their assisted openers do not inspire much confidence in using them for anything beyond cutting fruit or opening small packages. To me they feel flimsy and are well known for displaying various levels of bladeplay and sloppy lockups. Kershaw, Benchmade and even CRKT can make assisted openers to tight tolerances, why not SOG?
 
When I first got my sog TT, I really disliked it because of the excessive blade play. After a year of keeping it in a drawer, I decided to see if I could do anything with it. I found the sweet spot with the pivot screw and applied blue loctite - it's been solid ever since and has become one of my favorite EDCs. It's light, easy to open and close one-handed, sits deep in the pocket, and takes a nice edge. Ymmv
 
I have and like the Pentagon Elite, but I also understand the desire to have someone else make the SOG designs. In particular, it would be nice to get the same knife with a more robust handle - say G10 scales and properly hardened liners. Despite the fact that they aren't drilled, SOG's liners always seem to have an unhealthy amount of flex in them. I don't know if they are very think or just not hardened.
 
Blade play, cheap feeling handles (I don't normally mind FRN), mediocre assist mechanism, and Customer Service that's an embarrassment to the industry.

SOG has some great designs. The Flash 1 is a great design.

Or it would be if the design didn't tend to develop unfixable blade play that SOG's CS tells you is "normal" and not covered by warranty. Same with the Twitch 2.

I no longer by SOG.
 
i bought an aegis some time ago. .. used it once ..
there is a lot of hype around this knife but in reality it's a pretty bad one ( my conclusion) ...
there is a lot of bladeplay , the knife feel cheap, plastic handles with no liners, blade tip is weak ... i was very disappointed with the aegis, last time i bought a SOG :mad:
also last time i took an assisted opening... the axis lock from benchmade is way better than an assisted, even if they are not made the exact same use .
 
I personally have never had any SOG folders except a Twitch 2 which had slight vertical play(I thought it was a flaw of the design).
Otherwise, the knife isn't really that bad, and again, not sure if my vertical blade play was of the design or if it was a common quality deficiency.
However, upon looking in the mechanics of several of their 100% reinforced plastic handled knives, I can tell you that there are too many
small parts, including that unnecessarily complex design of the Arc-Actuator lock(Why not just use liner locks?).
In the end, I believe SOG is thinking up designs that do not go well with what the factories they're using, the mechanics I think are too complex
for their factory to handle.
 
like em sharp said:
Blade play, cheap feeling handles (I don't normally mind FRN), mediocre assist mechanism, and Customer Service that's an embarrassment to the industry.

SOG has some great designs. The Flash 1 is a great design.

Or it would be if the design didn't tend to develop unfixable blade play that SOG's CS tells you is "normal" and not covered by warranty. Same with the Twitch 2.

I no longer by SOG.
Click to expand...

Pretty much exactly this.

And with the price they've been getting the last few years you can find plenty of Spyderco and Benchmade if you look around. There are much better knives then anything SOG makes at each price point they offer, especially the Tridents. My Trident tanto was $80 when I bought it, I paid $75 for my last Manix 2 and $67 for a Benchmade 552 about 3 weeks ago, both unarguably much better knives. Please note, I'm speaking of folders here I have no experience with their fixed blades because I go my hands on a folder first and it soured me.
 
I bought an aegis on line a while back, opened the box looked at it checked it out, put it back in the box never looked at it again. Very cheap junk, will never buy another from this brand again.
 
I bought a SOG flash 2 and I'd had horrid blade play fresh out the box. Soured my taste for SOG and I doubt I'll buy anything else for a long time if ever.
 
Let's see... I own a Blink, Twitch II, Twitch XL, Vulcan, Mini-Vulcan, Access Card 2.0, Revolver Hunter (sort of a folder)..... all have been great knives. No side to side blade play on any of these. The only one that really sucked was a Flash which I had purchased a couple of for work use. They had a lot of blade play and it didn't bother me when they just sort of "dissappeared" after my workers used them. (I provide utility knives now and if they want a regular folder, they buy their own.) I think SOGs are a little over priced, but the materials are generally very good. When SOG copied the Spyder hole, it sort of turned me against them and I generally don't look at SOG blades much anymore. I suspect I'll buy another one in the future at some Point.

I own a fair number of their fixed blades also. I have no complaints although the parially serrated edge of the NW Ranger is the knife that taught me to either buy a fully serrated knife (such as a Spyderco Endura) or plain edge.

I think it best to buy them in person and handle before you buy.
 
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If a SOG folder was the last knife on Earth, I guess I would pick it up and stick it in my pocket.

But not before then.
 
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